Pagu

"Tracy Chang’s food at Pagu is inspired by two great world cuisines: Japanese and Spanish. The inspiration comes to life in dishes like the spicy knife-cut noodles, which are cooked with both sherry vinegar and a dabble of chili crisp and tossed with roasted pork or mushrooms." - Erika Adams, Karen Wilber, Terrence Doyle

"Pagu has several Lunar New Year specials on deck that are worth checking out. Chef Tracy Chang has a Taiwanese-style takeout menu with a centerpiece sticky rice-stuffed Beijing-style roast duck available for pre-order by Sunday, January 19, at 11 p.m., for pickup on Saturday, January 25 from noon to 4 p.m. This year the restaurant will also bring in professional lion dancers on January 25, 26, and 29, to accompany a celebratory prix-fixe New Year’s dinner. Reserve your ticket for one of the three dinners for $75 per person. (Children 8 and under eat free.)" - Erika Adams, Valerie Li Stack

"A little less intensely sweet than the chocolate and coconut cakes of this map, Pagu’s olive oil polenta cake with a berry vermouth sauce hits all the savory and sweet notes without overpowering. The ideal finisher at this Cambridge restaurant that highlights chef and owner Tracy Chang’s background cooking both Spanish and Japanese cuisine." - Celina Colby, Tanya Edwards, Rachel Leah Blumenthal

"Pagu is Japanese Spanish fusion, and the mix of flavors work together as well as noise-cancelling headphones and screaming airplane babies. They do excellent small plates that are ideal for tackling with a group before hanging out in Central Square—especially if you opt for one of the greatest group dining experiences in the city: the suckling pig roast, which you can get for parties of two, four, or six. We’re not the first ones to realize this place is great, so you should plan on booking in advance." - tanya edwards

"We’re obsessed with how much Pagu is obsessed with pugs—there are tons of little statues hidden around the restaurant, along with pictures in the bathroom of cartoon pugs dressed up as superheroes. The theme is reason enough to visit this Japanese-Spanish spot in Central Square, but you’ll end up staying for (and loving) the togarashi-sprinkled boquerones, squid-ink oyster bao, and perfectly marbled koji-marinated wagyu striploin. You should probably make a reservation, but it’s easy to walk in and grab a seat at the warmly lit bar for a few small plates solo. Save room for the caramel-drizzled matcha soft serve and creamy Basque cheesecake." - tanya edwards, megan zhang, dan secatore